Top Three Tips for Freelancers

1. Maximize use of cloud-based storage for your ideasWhen push comes to shove, freelancers probably have 6 deadlines per month on a good run. Yes, it can be easy to grab the nearest pad and scratch in your ideas in a blur of words, but experienced freelancers use one notebook with the title “IDEAS” in big bold fonts on the front page. For those of you who are the on-the-run type and can’t have everything written down in physical form though, there are plenty of cloud-based digital notebooks like Evernote or Google Keep that you can use to jot down the light bulbs that flicked on while commuting. Best of all, they’re free!

2. Fit in some personal time in between projects.Freelancing means that you take in jobs and plan ahead weeks at a time — if not months — to maintain steady income. While overcoming deadlines, you can easily fail to recognize that you’re already burning yourself out. Schedule a vacation in advance while maintaining your current productivity to ensure that you won’t hit a wall coming up with that next great idea. It doesn’t need to be out of the country — visiting your local beach, taking a stroll in the park, or even a having warm bubble bath once in a while helps ease your mind into focusing again. It doesn’t matter what kind of break you need — just schedule it into your calendar and give your brain some much needed rest.

3. Target steady and reliable clients to mix in with your new employers.Being strategic about the projects you sign-up for will pay off well in the long run. If possible, try to land a part-time stint or lock in ongoing work with a regular client to make sure a steady flow of income is available in case projects are not rolling in. Having trusted clients in your calendar will help make sure you have funds to pay the bills!